Practical Test Standards (Checkride)
This lesson is to complete the checkride easily, one time through, to the standards of the PTS.
Objective:
For the student to go through a practical test (checkride) flight and meet all the tolerances.
Assignment for this Lesson:
- Read the Practical Test Standards Introduction and required TASKS. Read the “Sport Pilot Checkride” book Parts 1 and 2. Have the FAA Practical Test Standards and Sport Pilot Checkride books next to you as you go through the tasks in this lesson. Read off the tasks as you perform them for a greater understanding of the requirements for this flight portion of the checkride.
Content:
- Preflight preparation. Get one of your cross-country flights, check the weather for winds aloft, modify flight log sheet for current winds. Call 1-800-WXBrief for briefing and current NOTAMS and TFR’s. Follow your preflight preparation checklist. Set up the airplane on the ramp at the Carson City airport with the engine off.
- Preflight Inspection. Go to the outside view and pan around the aircraft while checking the controls and flaps for proper operation as your preflight inspection. Run through the aircraft preflight inspection checklist. Make sure to check fuel levels and weight/balance for at least 1.5 hour flight.
- Cockpit Management/Engine Starting. After the preflight inspection, change back to the cockpit view. Run through the pre start checklist (master on, throttle closed, clear area, brakes on, yell clear prop to start aircraft. Check oil pressure, after start, etc…..)
- Listen to AWOS for wind which is calm for this first mach checkride flight (you can call the actual AWOS at 775.884.4708 or an AWOS near you for an actual AWOS report).
- Taxiing. Release brakes, start to taxi, check brakes and ground steering immediately. Announce you are taxiing from south ramp to runway 27 (Carson Traffic, Zodiac six zero one Zulu Yankee taxing from south ramp to runway 27 on taxi way alpha, Carson). Taxi out to run up area.
- Before Takeoff Check. Go through the before takeoff checklist (wheel straight, brakes on, run up and mag check, engine instruments, etc……)
- Normal and Crosswind Takeoff and Climb. Clear area, announce you are entering runway 27 for takeoff and headed to the south. Takeoff and climb at 60 knots. At the end of the runway make a left turn at 20 degrees bank to a south heading of 180 degrees. Climb to 6500 feet (more than 1500 AGL for maneuvers).
- Perform slow flight maneuver. Make sure you are high enough at least 1500 AGL. Clear the area with a clearing 180 degree turn to the left at a 30 degree bank and end up with a north heading. Slow down to minimum controlled airspeed maintaining 7000 feet with throttle control. make a very gradual turn to the left and than the right maintaining minimum controlled airspeed. Increase speed back to 60 knots to complete the maneuver. Practice this as required until you can maintain tolerances in the PTS.
- Perform power off stall maneuver. Make sure you are high enough at least 1500 AGL. Clear the area with a clearing 180 degree turn to the right at a 30 degree bank and end up with a south heading. Configure the aircraft for landing flaps. Reduce power to the approach power setting and gradually increase the angle of attack until a stall occurs. Recover from the stall immediately (stick forward and the the middle, fix any rotation with the rudder) increase to full power and bring the flaps up. Maintain stick forward to increase speed back to 60 knots to complete the maneuver. Practice this as required until you can maintain tolerances in the PTS.
- Perform power on stall maneuver. Clear the area with a clearing 180 degree turn to the left at a 30 degree bank and end up with a north heading. Configure the aircraft for takeoff flaps. Increase power to the approach power setting and gradually increase the angle of attack until a stall occurs. Recover from the stall immediately (stick forward and the the middle, fix any rotation with the rudder) increase to full power and bring the flaps up. Maintain stick forward to increase speed back to 60 knots to complete the maneuver. Practice this as required until you can maintain tolerances in the PTS.
- Performance maneuver – Steep turns. Perform the steep turn maneuver to the left by looking/clear right, look left and roll into a left 45 degree bank turn and do a complete 360 degree turn rolling out onto the same heading as you started. Perform the same maneuver to the right by looking/clear left, look right and roll into a right 45 degree bank turn and do a complete 360 degree turn rolling out onto the same heading as you started.
- Emergency Approach and Landing. Reduce power to idle assuming your engine and prepare for an emergency landing with an engine out. maintain control of the aircraft. Establish the best l/d speed. Determine a suitable landing area and head for it. determine best landing direction from wind (here their is none). Once a suitable landing area is secured if you have enough altitude, check electric, fuel and induction systems. Continue your landing and power up with a go-around before to touch down.
- Ground Reference Maneuvers. Climb up to 800 feet AGL – if in the valley near Minden this should be 5500 feet MSL. Find a straight road and do the S-Turn of the road maintaining the tolerances in the PTS. After maneuver apply full power and start a climb to 7000 feet.
- Navigation. Go to the map and determine the heading to get back to Carson City. Go back to the cockpit view and turn to that heading and proceed to Carson City. Continue to climb until you can see the airport runway.
- Airport Operations. Radio to airport your inbound intentions and fly to the airport. Enter the pattern on a 45 degree entry for left traffic 27. Use proper announcements in the airport pattern.
- Slip to landing.Come out a little high on final approach and do a slip to loose altitude than establish a stabilized approach for landing.
- Normal Landing. Perform a normal landing at or beyond the numbers 27 on the runway and come to a complete stop on the runway.
- Soft field takeoff and landing. Perform a soft field takeoff (stick back, lift off early, stay in ground effect to gain speed, than climb out at Vy 60 knots) go around pattern and perform a soft field landing (short final full flaps, slow the aircraft as slow as possible before touchdown at or beyond the numbers 27 , than keep up speed to not bog down in soft ground). Come to a complete stop.
- Short field takeoff and landing. Perform a short field takeoff (flaps as manufacturer suggests, maximum field, brakes on full power, release brakes, rotate and climb at Vx until you get above obstacle and climb normally at Vy). Go around the pattern and do a short field landing (full flaps, slow speed into field, slow speed on touchdown and full brakes to a full stop after touchdown).
- Postflight procedures. Taxi back to the ramp to an appropriate parking spot and shut down the aircraft with the proper checklist.
You have completed the flight portion of a practice checkride.
Pre-flight procedures
____ Pre-flight Inspection
____ Cockpit management
____Starting/Warm up
____ Taxiing
____ Before takeoff check Airport operations
____ Radio communications
____ Traffic Patterns
____ Airport Runway markings and lighting Takeoffs, landings, and go-arounds
____ Normal Takeoffs
____ Normal Landings
____ Go-arounds, rejected landings
____ Crosswind takeoff and landings
____ Short and soft-field takeoffs and landings
Performance Maneuvers
____ Steep Turns Ground reference maneuvers
____ Rectangular Course
____ S-turns
____ Turn’s about a point Navigation
____ Pilotage
____Diversion
____Lost Procedures
Slow flight and stalls
____ Maneuvering during slow flight
____ Power-off stalls
____ Power-on stalls
Emergency operations
____ Emergency approach and landing
____ Systems and equipment malfunctions
____ Emergency equipment and survival gear Post-flight procedures
____ After landing, parking, and securing
Completion Standards:
Student performs all maneuvers to 100% passing of PTS tolerances and achieves the standards for a sport pilot.